1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to electrical interconnect systems, in general, and to a screened-on, conductive-glass, interconnect system, in particular, for use between contact pads of adjacent (usually parallel) surfaces of electronic devices.
2. Prior Art
In the electronic industry, there are many types of electronic elements or devices which utilize leads or terminals which extend therefrom. These types of leads are found in many integrated circuit devices or packages as well as many other types of assemblies. These leads are often used to effect an interconnection between an internal portion of the device and an external source, a utilization device, or the like.
One type of device or assembly which uses this type of lead or terminal is a display device. Typical examples of the display devices so constructed are plasma discharge displays, liquid crystal displays, or other types of gas discharge displays. These displays comprise a sealed envelope having a material enclosed therein which material is capable of being excited or activated to thereby change a characteristic thereof. The envelope includes a pair of plates (usually referred to as the faceplate and the substrate) on which electronic conductors are disposed by any one of many processes such as material deposition, material etching, material screening or the like. The plates are spaced apart whereupon the conductors thereon produce an electric field therebetween whenever the conductors are energized by the application of electrical signals thereto. The electric field is also produced through or across the activation material (gas, liquid crystal or the like) which is disposed between the plates. The electric field operates to alter the state of the material so as to effect a display. That is, the material is aligned to control light passing therethrough, to glow, or the like.
The construction of these types of devices using faceplates, substrates, and a sealing arrangement therebetween is well known in the art. However, the designs of the display, especially as related to the terminals, and the method of assembling the display and terminals is an area of constant investigation in order to improve the operation of the device and to reduce the cost of fabrication thereof.